


through a silver storm

by michaelsc0fields



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Anastasia AU, F/M, i am just full of aus that nobody asked for
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-26
Updated: 2017-01-10
Packaged: 2018-07-10 09:19:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6977395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/michaelsc0fields/pseuds/michaelsc0fields
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"The Captain is offering a reward for the return of his precious daughter. All we need to do is find someone who we can train up to act like her."</p><p>"And you think Sara is the one?"</p><p>"I'm almost certain she is."</p><p>Anastasia AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Yes I know, I still have to update 'she sings the revolution' but this is all my friend Steph's fault for talking about Anastasia to me and making me get a plot bunny and now... Here we are. It doesn't follow the film exactly, what with it being brought up to modern day and the characters based on their arrowverse canon, but it has the general spirit of it. Ages have been tweaked; in the prologue here, Sara is 13, Len is 17, Laurel is 19, Nyssa is 15 and the next chapter picks up ten years later.
> 
> But yeah, please enjoy!!

Star City, December 2006

“Baby!” Quentin Lance stood up from behind his desk to hug the blonde who barrelled into him. “What are you doing here?”

“She wouldn’t shut up about coming to see you so I figured I’d let her stop by before her rehearsal.” Laurel rolled her eyes with a long suffering sigh, hanging back a little ass her younger sister ran for their father.

“Ha-hey!” He held his daughter at arm’s length. “Dinah, what have we said about not visiting daddy at work?”

Dinah Lance looked up at her father with a well-meaning smile. “Sorry, daddy.” She said sweetly, with the innocent look all youngest children had – the one they knew worked every time. “I just wanted to remind you not to miss my dance recital tonight.” Quentin smiled, utterly charmed by his daughter.

Behind her, Laurel huffed and sat on the edge of a desk; she’d hoped their father would tell Dinah once and for all to stop her trips to the precinct, but it seemed the little brat had wormed her way out of a punishment again. She thought when Dinah turned thirteen she would show her true colours to their parents, but Laurel was still the only one to witness the evil side of her sister while they lived in blissful ignorance that their little darling could ever be anything more than the angel they saw.

“Boss.” A man grunted behind Laurel and they all turned to see Quentin’s partner, Mick Rory, with a young man beside him. Rory pushed the kid forward and he glared. He was a skinny scrap of a boy with icy grey eyes that scowled at each of the Lance family in turn. His hands were cuffed behind his back, but he didn’t struggle, just stood looking miserable in the middle of the precinct. Quentin pushed Dinah behind him, reaching a hand out for Laurel.

“Laurel, come here.” He demanded. “Rory.” He nodded at his partner.

“Caught this one with his hands in a cash register.” Rory grunted. “Again.”

Quentin sighed. Dinah curled her hands around her father’s arm and peeked round his tall stature to watch the exchange. The boy noticed her staring at him and narrowed his eyes at her. She flinched, but kept gazing at him.

“All right, Snart, you know the deal.” Quentin nudged Dinah over to Laurel, where she shrugged off the arm her sister tried to put around her. “Overnight in lock up then we’ll call your social worker. I thought we were trying to stay out of juvie this time round, hmm?”

Snart huffed, but allowed himself to be led away by Rory. Dinah stared after them as Rory uncuffed Snart and shoved him into the cells that lined the wall of the precinct. Laurel noticed her watching and gave her a jab with her elbow; Dinah glared at her big sister and rubbed her arm, pouting.

“Right, girls,” Quentin turned back to his daughters and put a hand on each of their shoulders. “Thank you for coming, but-“

“You haven’t promised yet!” Dinah interrupted with a whine. “You can’t miss my dance recital, dad, you can’t! You missed the last two already! And this is the Christmas one!”

Quentin frowned, brushing his youngest daughter’s fringe straight. “All right, baby girl, how about this?” He turned and rifled through the drawer of his desk. “I was going to save this for your birthday this week but…” He came back round and held out a wrapped box. Dinah’s eyes lit up with glee as Laurel silently scoffed in annoyance.

Dinah ripped off the paper, letting out a gasp of delight as she opened the box. Inside a jewellery box decorated with little stars glittered, a small star on a chain curled up on top of it. There was a little gap in the decoration of the box and Dinah slotted the charm into it. The lid lifted and a tiny mechanical canary popped up, letting out a little chirping noise.

“Nothing but the best for my little canary.” Quentin smiled proudly as he lifted the chain and draped it over Dinah’s neck. “This is my promise that I’ll be there, okay? I wouldn’t miss your recital for the world.”

“Daddy, I love it!” Dinah flung herself into her father’s arms and even Laurel couldn’t hide the small smile at the sight, although she tried hard to. She pulled away and closed the lid on the box carefully. 

“Now, go with your sister and-“ Quentin was cut off as the lights of the precinct cut out. Everyone stopped what they were doing, a collective murmur of noise starting as they wondered what was happening. At the sight of his daughters’ nervous faces, Quentin shook his head. “Just a power cut, girl, don’t wor-“

The ground shook beneath them. The windows rattled. 

“Daddy…” Dinah breathed out and Laurel grabbed hold of her.

“Star City Police.” A booming voice sounded from the doorway. The lights flickered and revealed a tall man with long hair taking up the width of the doorway. “I have a bone to pick with you. But I’ll let my men do it for me.” He slammed the staff in his hand against the floor and a green glow started to swirl around the room.

Dinah screamed and suddenly the man appeared in front of her, pushing Laurel out the way. “A little one.” He said menacingly.

“Dinah!” Laurel and Quentin both tried to get to her, but an invisible force seemed to surround her. 

“Dad, how is he doing this?” Laurel screamed.

The man turned to the older Lance sibling, smirking. “My name is Vandal Savage. And this city will be mine.” He lifted the staff high above his head and brought it smashing down against the carpeted floor. The green glow expanded and burst, turning into men that immediately charged at the various cops around the room.

The electronic doors of the cells slid open and the criminals who had been waiting to be transported were suddenly free. Fights broke out all over, guns firing at random as chaos rained down.

“Mick!” Quentin yelled. “Get my girls out!” Rory pushed through the fray and grabbed a Lance in each arm. He pulled them to the exit and almost had them out when Dinah cried out.

“My music box!” She shouted, her tiny form slipping under Rory’s arm and diving back into the precinct. She pushed through the crowds, ducking under fights as she scrambled back to her father’s desk. She clamped a hand over her dropped box, struggling to her feet when a hand grabbed her shoulder.

“The little one.” Savage smiled creepily.

“No!” Quentin’s voice flew over the crowd from where he was trying to hold off a burly man. “No, Dinah, run!”

Dinah tried to pull away but Savage held her tight. He tapped his staff again and she wailed in pain, a red line of blood soaking through her t shirt. Whoever this man was, he had some sort of magic, not doing any of his dirty work with his bare hands. Dinah started to cry and savage snarled and shoved her to the ground.

“Come on!”

As Savage turned to consult one of his men, a cold hand grabbed Dinah’s. She looked up with watery eyes to see the boy from before, the one Uncle Mick had brought in. She shied away, but he grabbed under her arms and hauled her up, tugging her after him as he ran towards the back of the precinct. He dragged her through the corridors, ignoring her protests and small cries of pain, more focused on getting them out than letting daddy’s little princess slow him down. 

“Where are you taking me?” She sniffled and he tightened his grip on her hand.

“Right – here!” He took a sharp left and was met with a familiar sight; the doors that opened to the bay where the prison van would park up as they loaded criminals into it. He let go of Dinah to kick at the doors, the sounds of the battle occurring getting closer. A few good shoves and the doors flew open. He gathered Dinah up and pushed her towards the exit. Outside it was freezing, a layer of snow coating the ground.

“Go! Go!” He yelled

“But-“

“Go!” He gave her a rough push and she fell through, hitting the ground with a yelp. The snow cushioned her landing a little, but it still hurt as her head smacked against the ground.

He went to follow, but a hand grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and hauled him back through the door. He landed heavily on his arm, wind knocked out of him, his eyes blurring then focusing on a small, star covered box on the ground in front of him before he was dragged roughly to his feet.

-

Dinah stumbled down the alleyway, sobbing. She dropped to her knees, then curled up in the snow, too much pain radiating through her small body to go any further.

As she lay there, whimpering, a young girl a few years older than her dropped from a fire escape above. 

“Father… She’s hurt…” The girl crouched beside Dinah, brushing the shivering girl’s hair out of her face. 

A taller man slowly approached, looking down at his daughter and the pitiful body she was trying to gather up. “She is dying.” He said, considering the sight before him. “Nyssa – come. We shall bring her to the pit.”

-

“Where’s the girl?” Mick demanded, grabbing Snart by the collar. “Where’s Dinah Lance?”

“I don’t know!” The boy panicked. “I got her out! I swear – she went out the prisoner transport bay!” Mick threw him aside and barrelled through the doors. Against the white of the snow on the ground were drops of blood, leading out of the alleyway that rang along the back of the precinct. Drawing his gun, he followed the path left behind, unsure he really wanted to find out what was at the end of it.

At the end of the alley, the blood disappeared. And so, it would seem, had Dinah Lance.

-

Hundreds of miles away, robed attendants raised a small blonde body out of the Lazarus Pit. She sat up, blinking in the candlelight; her blonde hair dripped over her shoulders as she shakily got to her feet. Still weak, she dropped to her knees as a man draped with jewels and red fur approached.

“What’s your name, child?” Ra’s al Ghul lifted the girl’s chin with a single finger.

“I- I don’t know… I don’t remember…” The young girl blinked back tears, but kept her face upturned, staring bravely back at him.

Ra’s nodded approvingly. “Nyssa?”

His daughter came to sit beside the young girl, a dark hand stroking through the light blonde of her hair. She smiled encouragingly. “What about… Sara?”

The blonde nodded, sniffling, and swallowed down hard. “Sara.” She looked up at Ra’s. “My name is Sara.”


	2. courage don't desert me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello lovelies! so glad you are all onboard with this silly au of mine :) this is not the most exciting of chapters but it's setting up the plot... next chapter will feature more on savage and have rogue canary kicking some ass which is what we're all here for really.
> 
> just to let you know that updates won't be as fast as they have been with 'she sings the revolution' - i've just started my last term of college which means twice the workload and exams galore, as i'm sure some of you are probably facing too... so updates will be slower with this fic and the hero au sequel, but i am working on both, i promise! i hope you enjoy regardless :)

“Sara!” 

Sara turned and found herself with an armful of Nyssa. She let out a deep breath and hugged her back, squeezing her eyes shut and breathing in the smell of her hair. 

“Are you positive you must leave?” Nyssa sighed, pulling back to hold Sara at arm’s length. She had brought Sara to Central City, but refused to go any further. If Ra’s found out she had helped his top student sneak away, she would be in a whole world of trouble.

Sara smiled at her sadly. “I can’t keep wondering, Nyssa.” She moved away before Nyssa could protest, hitching her bag up her shoulder. Inside were all her worldly possessions; a couple of changes of clothes, a few knives and her staff. “It’s time to learn the truth.”

Nyssa’s shoulders dropped, but she nodded understandingly. “Then I wish you all the best.”

“Do you wish to take me closer to Star City…?” Sara tested her luck. At Nyssa’s look, she rolled her eyes. “I know, I know, it’s the first place Ra’s will look for me.” She hesitated. “Nyssa, if he-“

“I can handle my father, Sara.” Nyssa reassured her. She took a deep breath and stepped away. “Go. Go find your family.” Sara nodded tearfully. “And remember, if you don’t find them… You will always have one with me.”

-

“This,” Mick Rory dropped his head onto the desk. “is hopeless.”

Three hours of meeting young women, all desperate for a ride to Star City, had not been as tantalising as he’d been expecting. Instead it had been a long parade of disappointing no-hopers. Star City had been boarded off ever since Savage’s rule had started; although a couple of years ago, the SCPD had charged his headquarters and defeated him, Star City was still rebuilding and it was difficult to get there without mountains of costly paperwork. Luckily, Rory was an accomplished forger and had managed to replicate three sets of the necessary documents: one for him, one for the girl and one for Leonard Snart.

The only person more surprised about their partnership than Rory was Snart himself. After a troubled childhood in and out of police custody, Quentin Lance had been ready to send the kid to prison for life after finding out he was the last person near his disappeared daughter. Rory, unable to see an innocent boy who he knew had tried to help go away for so long, had broken him out the night before his transport and forged their way to Central City, where they’d been living ever since. 

Now, ten years on, Snart was finally going through with the plan he had made years ago. Or, he was attempting to. Luck did not seem to be in their favour.

“It’s not hopeless, Mick.” Leonard snarled. Being away from the toxic life he had in Star City had done him a world of good over the last decade; he’d grown from a scrap of a boy into a handsome young man. A last minute growth spurt had sent him shooting above Mick, but he never lost his grudging respect for the older man, even if sometimes his snark got the better of him. “We just need to wait for the right one…”

Mick grunted, not lifting his head.

“Trust me, Mick, I’ve got a good feeling-“

“Hello?” A voice filtered through the theatre. “I’m looking for a… Leonard Smart? Sna… uh, Sm-“

“Leonard Snart.” The man himself drawled. He stood up, mooching around the desk as a young woman peeked around the curtains. “Look, lady, time is short so-“ He stopped dead. His hand wavered behind him, trying to find his partner. He tapped Rory on the head. “Mick. Look.”

Mick groaned and lifted his head. “Holy…”

The girl strolled to the centre of the stage, hand cupped over her eyes to squint against the stage lights shining in her face. “Right.” She said slowly, taking in the two men gawking at her. “Someone said you were the guy to find about papers to get to Star City?”

“She looks…” Mick breathed, standing up and leaning over the table to get a closer look.

“Just like her.” Snart agreed, mouth twisting into a smirk. “What’s your name, little bird?” He called out.

The woman’s eyes narrowed. “If you’re going to be a douche, I’ll take my business elsewhere.”

Leonard’s smirk turned into a full blown grin. “My apologies.” He climbed the stairs up to the stage and stopped a few paces away from her. She glared. “You just looked like an… old friend of mine.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Does that line ever actually work for you?”

Leonard laughed. “I’m being serious, I assure you.” He analysed her with his gaze, looking her up and down. “What’s your name?”

She stiffened. “Sara.”

“Sara what?”

She dropped his gaze. “I… I don’t know. It’s just Sara, okay?” She crossed her arms defensively. “Look, can you get me to Star City or not? I’ve been… away for a while. I didn’t know it was going to be this difficult.”

Leonard’s eyes flashed. “Let me just discuss with my partner.”

He hopped back down and leaned over the table to talk with Mick, his tone hushed. “She’s perfect. She doesn’t even know her last name.”

Mick frowned at him. “How is that perfect?”

Leonard smirked. "The Captain is offering a reward for the return of his precious daughter. All we need to do is find someone who we can train up to act like her." He reminded.

"And you think Sara is the one?" Mick prompted.

"I'm almost certain she is. And if we can get her to believe that, we won’t even have to let her in on the money."

“You’ve lost me.” Mick sat down, staring at the table.

“We don’t need to train Sara to act like Dinah. We make Sara think she is Dinah.” Leonard drawled slowly, emphasising every word so Mick couldn’t miss his point. At his partner’s uncomfortable look, he rolled his eyes. “She doesn’t know her last name. She didn’t know it would be difficult to get to Star City, even though it was closed down for nearly eight years before they introduced the paperwork mountain that’s now required. She’s clearly been living under a rock for years, she can’t have a clue.” He turned back to Sara, who was watching them with a suspicious expression. “Sara- can I call you Sara? The thing is… my friend here, he used to be the partner of Detective Quentin Lance of the Star City Police. Ring any bells?”

Sara frowned at him. “No?” She snapped, despite a prickling sensation in the back of her neck at the name.

“Detective Lance’s daughter was kidnapped ten years ago…” He smirked when Sara’s lips parted slightly in an outwards rush of breath. “Her name was Dinah. And you hold an uncanny resemblance to her.” He swept a piece of paper of the desk behind him, jumping back onto the stage and holding it out to her.

Sara took it with a slightly shaky hand. It was a photograph, trimmed small to fit into a wallet. It was of a girl, around ten years old, with a cheeky smile and blonde hair. Her chin was dimpled as she grinned, freckles speckling her cheeks and nose. Her eyes were bright and blue, innocent as only a child’s could be. She let out a harsh breath.

“Your… introduction seemed to have some gaps…” Leonard prompted.

“I… I don’t remember being this age.” She admitted, looking up at Leonard with shiny eyes.

“So… this could be you?” Leonard threw an arm around her shoulders before she could answer and lead her down the stairs to Mick. “Well then, it simply is our duty to reunite you with your family-“

“Woah, woah, wait!” Sara pulled away from him. “This is crazy! I just want a ride to Star City, that’s it, there’s no way I could be…” She glanced down at the photo again. 

Leonard took hold of her wrist, raising the photo so it was in a better light. “This picture was taken from Quentin Lance’s desk. Your father’s desk.” He pressed the matter, gently. “His other daughter, your probable sister, Laurel screens all respective candidates to check who they truly are. Mick knows everything about you.”

“I used to change your diapers.” Mick put in, trying to be helpful, then sank back at Leonard’s glare. Sara looked mildly disgusted.

“Point being; we can teach you about your past, Sara.” Leonard lured her closer. “What other business do you have in Star City? What more could there be than to find a family?”

Sara’s hand flew to her throat where the star pendant she’d had her entire life rested. It was the only clue she had to her past, before the League and the pit; one night Nyssa had curled up next to her and told her the story of how she was found, dying in the snow in an alley in Star City. Sara had gasped sharply at the name, but refused to tell Nyssa why. The name coupled with the necklace she never took off had sealed her plans – she had to go to Star City and find out the truth. 

All the pieces of this story seemed to fit into place; Dinah had gone missing when she was thirteen, the exact age Sara was when she woke up after almost dying and being resurrected by the pit. Why shouldn’t they be the same person? What were the odds of two young girls with similar features were kidnapped the same year? And, Sara swallowed nervously, even if she wasn’t this Dinah girl, she would still be getting a free ride to Star City and potentially acquainted with people who could help her find her real family.

“How did you know…?” Sara breathed.

“Lucky guess.” Leonard drawled. “You in, birdy? There’s really no down side for you… You get a free ride to Star City and a chance to reconnect with your family all the while learning about the past you don’t remember.” He shrugged. “Seems like a pretty sweet deal to me.”

Sara almost nodded, then frowned. “What’s in it for you?”

Leonard tilted his head to the side. “For me? Nothing but the joy of seeing a family united. Besides, it’s been a while since ol’ Mick here saw his buddy Quentin. A happy reunion all round.” He swept his arms open. “What do you say?”

“…Okay.” Sara slipped the picture in her back pocket, then held her hand out to Leonard. He shook it with a leer.

“We leave tonight.” He turned her to face Mick. “Let’s start with the history lesson now. This is Mick Rory, your dad’s old partner. They worked together until your little vanishing act ten years ago. You used to call him-“

“Uncle Mick.” Sara murmured. 

Leonard gave her a sidelong glance. “Yes…” He confirmed slowly, exchanging a quick look with Mick. “Good guess.”

“Right.” Sara shook her head to clear it, scratching at the tickling at the back of her neck that had reared up again. “Obvious, really.” She held a hand out for Mick to shake over the table. His hand engulfed hers, but the smile he offered her seemed warm, despite his craggy features and normally stern expression. She couldn’t help but offer a shy smile back.

“Dinah.” He greeted, gruffly. “Sorry about the diapers thing…”

Sara laughed and waved him off. He grunted and began to clear their desk of paperwork.

“Yes. Well.” Leonard gave them both an odd look. “Knowing your kiddie nickname for your dad’s friend won’t be enough to convince Laurel that it’s really you.” He plucked a pile of paperwork from the desk and offered it to Sara. “Are you ready to learn your life story?”

Sara took the papers from him and flicked through; a visa for travel, documents stating her whereabouts during the Vandal Savage era (her neck prickled as she read the lie that had been printed as an answer ‘resident of Central City’), train tickets that were set to depart that evening. She looked up at Leonard who was watching her carefully.

“I’m ready.”

-

Mick grabbed Leonard’s elbow as Sara shoved the papers into her rucksack, leading him to a quiet corner. 

“Let’s say we make it to Star City and convince Laurel to actually see us.” He muttered. “We can tell Sara anything and everything about Dinah, but that won’t convince Laurel. A sister knows and this sister is one tough cookie. She spent most of her childhood looking after Dinah, remember?”

Leonard patted Mick on the shoulder, shooting Sara a reassuring smile when she glanced over. She gave him an odd look and he smirked, waiting until she went back to her packing before replying. “Relax, Mick. You’re forgetting our secret weapon.”

From his pocket he pulled out a small box, stars printed all over it in glittery decoration. Mick’s eyes widened.

“How long have you had that?” He demanded softly, not wanting to alert Sara again.

“Since that day at the precinct.” Leonard held it up to the light so the stars glimmered, true to their counterparts in the night sky. “This is what’s going to convince Laurel that Sara is really her sister. What’s the harm? She gets a new pet, Quentin pays us and we demand my record is cleaned.” He tossed the box in the air and caught it again, sliding it back into his pocket. “It’s been ten years. Dinah, where ever she is, is not going to be the same bratty thirteen-year-old they lost. For all they will know, Sara really is their precious girl. And as long as she thinks so too, our reward fund won’t have to be cut. It’s the best situation for everyone.”

Mick shifted uncomfortably.

“I know you’re worried Quentin might have some… harsh words about your part in my release, but surely reuniting with his ‘daughter’ will take some of the edge off? You could even become friends again.” Leonard soothed. “And sure, Sara probably isn’t Dinah. But isn’t something better than nothing? We teach her well enough, she may as well be.”

There was a pause. “Alrighty then.” Mick nodded.

“Sara.” Leonard called, picking up his bags. Sara looked over to him, questioningly and he grinned. “Come on. We’ve got a train to catch.”


	3. the world can seem so vast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ironically, the majority of this chapter was written while i was on a train

Deep under the ground of Star City, something stirred.

Vandal Savage, thought by many to be dead, opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. Beneath Iron Heights, a specially built cell had been made just for him, with stone walls several foot thick and no windows. There was a door with a slot where three times a day he was passed through a meagre meal. Otherwise, he slept, he sat, he waited.

The powers he had sold his soul for had abandoned him once he had been captured. He didn’t pretend to understand it, but he knew they would return when they were once again needed. Until then, he could bide his time, living off scraps under the ground.

Now something had changed. He could feel it.

Savage’s power was linked to those he killed; he absorbed their life source once it left their body. There was only one that had ever evaded him – the young girl from the police station the day he took over. He had slashed through her middle, leaving her to slowly bleed out so he could enjoy the gradual intake of her life as it left her and came to him. He had almost absorbed the entirety of her life when the stream had suddenly stopped. He had reached out, trying to find what was happening, but had been met with a mental brick wall. The brat had disappeared and severed the connection between them in the process.

A green mist floated towards him, coiling around his wrist. Savage smirked. It flashed and when the blinding light subsided, his old staff was in his hand. Suddenly, he understood, the dark powers flooding through his senses and filling in the gaps in his knowledge.

The girl was back and she was headed for Star City. And he wanted the rest of her life. It would contain just enough power for him to escape this cell and retake what was once his. But how to kill her when he was trapped down here?

His face twisted into a maniacal smile and he brought the staff down onto the cold concrete floor. He didn’t have to go anywhere.

-

“Are we there yet?” Sara asked, for the fourth time that hour.

Mick chuckled. “You always were impatient.”

Leonard side eyed him with a glance that was clearly telling him to shut up – the more time Mick spent with Sara, the less distance he seemed to see between the young woman travelling with them and the real Dinah. He was starting to get a little worried that his partner might get attached and forget that Sara, for all her loveliness and the odd personality trait she shared with the kidnapped girl, was really just a stray they had picked up to fulfil their plan. Of course, she couldn’t know that – as far as she was aware, she was Dinah Lance, lost daughter of Star City, not some random woman with more than a passing resemblance.

“For the fourth time,” Leonard griped, snapping his book shut and glaring at Sara. “We are not there yet. It is a two-day journey to get to Star City by train.”

Sara huffed. “It used to only take a few hours with the high speed rail line.” She mumbled, half to herself as she slouched down into her seat, glaring out the window at the scenery passing by.

Leonard and Mick exchanged a look; every now and then, Sara would pipe up with a piece of information she couldn’t possibly know. Leonard had to admit that part of him was a little worried she would remember the truth before they could feed her her false life story and their plan would be ruined. He also had to admit, however, that a very tiny part of him was mildly curious as to who this mysterious woman, probably sent to him from Heaven where God had finally taken pity on him, actually was. It was a contradiction that was probably going to get him in trouble, but for now all he could manage to feel was faintly exasperated with their travelling companion.

The high speed rail line Sara referenced had been one of the first things Savage destroyed when he took over Star City – no one could get in or escape out, other than his minions that travelled by the odd green mist that would snake out of nowhere. It was common knowledge throughout the city and its surrounding neighbours that if you saw that mist, you were no better than dead. Ironically, Mick and Leonard had escaped the city on one of the last trains to run before the city went into lockdown.

Sara tugged her rucksack over and pulled out a dagger with a bronzed hilt. She settled back down with a sharpening rock in her other hand and began running it over the blade, oblivious to Mick and Leonard’s shocked stares.

“Um.” Leonard was actually speechless for a moment. “That’s not really… I don’t think you should be doing that in public?” He ventured.

Sara looked up at him. “But I’m bored.”

He exchanged a glance with Mick, who was now over his surprise and seemed quite amused at the situation. 

“Maybe you should try something a little more… travel safe?” Leonard suggested. He indicated to the book in his hand. “Reading, perhaps?”

Sara gave him a long look, which made him feel slightly nervous considering she was still holding a knife. Then she conceded, reaching back to slide the knife and sharpening stone into her bag. Then she leaned over and plucked Leonard’s book from his lap, taking out his bookmark and tossing it back to him. She tucked herself back into her corner of the carriage, opened at page one and began reading.

Leonard stared at her incredulously. “I meant your own book?”

Sara didn’t look up from the page. “Don’t have one.” She said shortly.

“I – ugh.” He gave up, slumping back into his seat with his arms crossed. He glanced at Mick as the older man unsuccessfully muffled a chuckle, glaring at his obvious amusement at the exchange between the two of them.

“I like her.” 

-

When Leonard came back from the bathroom, Sara was curled up on her seat, his book tucked under her cheek as a pillow. He let out a steady breath, creeping silently over to where was slumped over the armrest in a position that couldn’t be comfortable. Still, despite the odd angles and paperback pillow, she was soundly asleep, not looking the slightest bit uncomfortable.

Mick glanced at him and shook his head – silently telling him that this was not a good idea.

Leonard ignored him.

He reached out and caught the bottom corner of his book between his thumb and index finger, gently tugging to try slide it out from underneath Sara’s head. It moved an inch – and then he was staggering back, clutching his nose, as Mick howled with laughter behind him. Sara had sat up abruptly at the small movement, deftly landing a solid right hook on him; she sat with her fist raised and eyes slightly wild as she watched him groan with pain. Then the fog over her expression cleared and she jumped up, holding Leonard’s wrist.

“Oh my god, I am so sorry!” She cried, pulling his hand away to check his nose. In doing so, she realised who her victim was. “Oh. It’s you. Never mind, then.” She dropped his wrist, settling back down in her seat. Leonard glared over the throbbing between his eyes as she plucked the book up and continued reading. 

“A little help, Mick?” He growled, as his partner’s laughter faded into a quiet chuckle.

“Sure, boss. I’ll go find some ice.” Mick slapped him on the back and Leonard thought he heard the words ‘firecracker’ and ‘the look on his face’ as he left the carriage.  
Leonard turned to Sara, who hadn’t raised her eyes from the book during the exchange. “That’s not yours.”

“It’s probably not yours, either.” She flipped the page, then looked up at him. “I mean, you are a thief, aren’t you?”

Leonard opened his mouth, but Mick came barrelling back in. 

“We’ve got a problem.” He announced, slightly red in the face. He whipped out the papers Leonard had forged, opening one up to reveal blue ink. “They’ve changed the papers. The writing is green now.”

“So…?” Sara prompted, looking more alert as she straightened, eyes going from Leonard to Mick suspiciously.

Leonard sighed. “Not another Alexa.” He muttered, before gathering up his admittedly pitiful luggage. “I hear the luggage cart is lovely on this service.” He offered a hand to Sara. “Shall we?”

-

A green glow began to snake through the first class carriage. It travelled through the train, passing through economy and the cheaper seats, before pausing and swirling around a recently departed carriage. It hovered there, then transformed with a flash, leaving it its wake four burly men.

One of them swooped down and picked something up, a ruffled paperback book that had seen better days. He flicked through a few pages, bringing it to his nose and inhaling deeply. His fist curled around the book, crushing its spine.

“She’s here.”

-

The luggage room was infinitely more uncomfortable than their carriage, but Sara still managed to contort herself into some odd position and begin to doze off again. A prickling sensation travelled up her spine and she sighed, rolling over to find Leonard watching her carefully.

“What?” She snapped.

He tilted his head, eyes analytical as they travelled over her face. “I never told you I was a thief.”

Sara raised her eyebrows. “So?”

“So… how did you know?” Leonard asked, his tone curious, not accusatory.

It was a good question – how had she known that? The League member in her pointed out it was all her training; she could analyse people from a mile away, had to, in order to be prepared for whatever fight was coming. But a quiet voice in the back of her mind also pointed out that Leonard was careful – there was no evidence on him to suggest a life of crime, other than the forged papers which didn’t indicate thief alone. Somehow, she just knew. 

“Well, I-“ She was cut off by the door of the carriage was ripped off its hinges as four men burst in. Mick, who had been asleep near the door, woke up in mid-snore and leapt out the way just in time. Sara and Leonard scrambled to their feet; Sara’s hand flew to her waist where the knife from earlier was now hanging, concealed by her shirt.

“Is everything all right, gents?” Leonard asked cautiously, as the men scanned the carriage. “Do you want to see our papers?”

The man in the front’s eyes latched onto Sara. “No. We just want her.” Then he lunged.

Everything happened at once; Sara darted out the way with sharp reflexes at the same time as Mick launched himself at her attacker, landing on his back and sending them both rolling to the other end of the carriage. 

Leonard pulled the pistol he’d smuggled aboard from his boot, aiming at the other men in the doorway and catching one across the shoulder. The man hissed, but his friend pushed past and came at Leonard. He aimed and fired, but the gun stalled, offering nothing but a mild click – Leonard shrugged and threw it, watching as it bounced off his opponent’s temple, sending him crumpling to the floor.

Across the carriage, Mick had his attacker pushed up against the wall, throwing punch after punch into his stomach. The man gasped for air, and Mick let him fall turning to see what his friends were dealing with. He caught Leonard’s eye, then they both looked over at Sara.

Leonard’s jaw dropped; Sara was caught in a furious fight with the two remaining thugs, whirling between the two with an incredible grace while her face held a look of fury. She took on the two men with ease, turning into a roundhouse kick that got one in the jaw before swinging back through to catch the flat of her hand against the ear of the other man, disorientating him. She took the distraction to lift her foot and jam her heel against the bullet wound Leonard had caused, not even blinking as she threw her head back to catch her other attacker’s nose which broke with a sickening crunch. She turned, shoving her knee into his gut, then flinging him into his friend and sending them both stumbling into the wall.

She looked up at Leonard and Mick, breathing hard. “Might I suggest we move carriages?” She grabbed her rucksack and slung it over her shoulder, not waiting for a response as she rushed to the other end, stepping over the unconscious body Mick had left on the floor.

Leonard shook himself out of his stupor and followed her, Mick on his heels, as she flung open the door that led to the engine room. The two carriages were held together by a thick strip of metal, that Sara easily balanced across before holding out a hand to help Leonard and Mick do the same. Once they were all over, they realised something was not right.

“Where’s the driver?” Sara asked, but before either could suggest an explanation, a large groaning sound came from behind them. They all turned to see the entire wall and door they had just come through be ripped away from the rest of the carriage as one of the super strong men came flying in. He turned and tugged at the metal coupling the carriage to the rest of the train, growling as it bent then split under his hands. 

“Mick, get to the engine room and try rewire the controls – stop this train!” Leonard ordered as the man turned. Their part of the train turned a sharp right; the rest of it continued straight on. Good. At least no innocent people could get hurt now.

Sara was pulling off her rucksack, tucking it into a corner before she joined Leonard, rolling up her sleeves as the thug turned towards them with a disgusting smirk. Leonard noticed a red mark and realised that this was the one he had thrown his pistol at – he felt a pang of regret; he liked that gun and the sacrifice of it hadn’t even gotten rid of his opponent.

He turned to look at Sara but she had already charged forward, whipping the knife from her belt and raising it, slicing the man’s cheek as he just dodged what would have been a killing blow. She used his weight transference to her advantage, kicking against his stomach so he fell into the wall, the back of his connecting painfully with it. The knife flipped in her hand so she was gripping the blade and she brought the handle down hard against his head, sending him toppling to his knees, eyes closed. She grabbed his collar and pulled, holding him half over the edge of the severed opening to the train, her knife raised to strike.

“Sara!” Leonard yelled before he could stop himself – his rap sheet was already long enough without adding accessory to murder to it, or at least that’s what he told himself.

She looked up at him over her shoulder, hair whipping across her face in the icy December wind making her look wild and beautiful. He caught her gaze – her eyes were clouded over with rage, but he held the connection, hoping his expression showed what he was trying to silently say: you don’t have to do this.

Her eyes cleared and she looked down at the man she held at knifepoint in surprise. She let go of his collar as though it had burned her, tossing him back onto the train floor and jerking away with none of the grace she normally moved with. She backed up, stumbling, to stand next to Leonard, breathing heavily.

“Mick, how’s that wiring coming along?” She called, her voice a little shaky. 

“Almost there!” Came the reply. “Actually – I could use a hand.”

“Go.” Leonard raised his voice above the wind. “I can watch our friend here.”

Sara nodded her thanks, obviously shaken from almost killing the man. She disappeared back into the engine room, leaving Leonard to cautiously walk towards the unconscious man. He nudged him with his foot to check he was really out for the count, then satisfied with the result moved to look in on Sara and Mick.

Before he could step away, however, a hand grabbed his ankle and pulled, knocking his feet out from under him. The air left his body as he hit the floor hard, letting out a pained yelp at the sensation. He barely had a moment to struggle to his hands and knees before the attacker, clearly not unconscious, hauled him up by his collar with an astonishing amount of strength. He was pulled to his feet, then shoved over to the gaping edge where the rest of the train had once been, gasping to try take in a breath as his lungs worked overtime to try get oxygen into his body. His feet dangled as he was lifted off the floor, his attacker holding him out over the edge. Leonard looked down and saw the tracks whizzing beneath him – his stomach turned.

“Thank for stopping your girlfriend.” The man leered. “Unfortunately for you, there’s no one to stop m-“ He let out a choking sound. Leonard stared.

A trickle of blood slowly rolled down the corner of the man’s mouth as his eyes widened. His hand released Leonard, who flailed for a moment, boots slipping on the jagged edge of the train, before someone gripped his elbow and pulled hard. 

His attacker dropped to the floor as Sara tugged Leonard back onto the train, their combined weight toppling her onto her back, the grip of their hands sending him right over too. 

He caught himself before he his weight could crush, hovering a few inches over her. Her eyes widened at his closeness and he swallowed hard, taking in large gulps of air as he struggled to comprehend the last few seconds of his life. Sara’s chest heaved beneath him, brushing against him as she too took deep breaths, adrenaline coursing through her body. 

"Get off me." She hissed after an intense moment.

Leonard rolled off of her, landing with a thump next to her. A quick glance to the side confirmed what he already knew; the bronze hilt of Sara’s knife protruded from the back of his attacker as he lay motionless facedown on the carriage floor. Sara got to her feet steadily, pulling the knife free and wiping the blood on the man’s jacket before sliding it into its rightful place at her waist. Then, without warning, she kicked hard and the body fell off the edge of the train, becoming a lump in the distance as it rolled into the distance.

Leonard stumbled upright. She caught his gaze and her eyes were hard.

“Uh… guys?” They both turned to see Mick standing sheepishly in the doorway. Behind him, the entire room was lit up in a golden glow, heat rushing to greet them before disappearing into the icy air. “We may have a problem… The wiring kind of… sparked.”

Leonard groaned. “Every time, there’s always a fire, every time…” He grumbled under his breath.

“We’re going to have to jump for it.” Sara hauled her rucksack from the corner she’d stashed it in as Mick came to join them at the mouth of the train. She stepped in between the two men and took both their hands, glancing at each of them. All of their faces were set and determined.

“One…” Mick prompted.

“Two.” Sara cut in.

Leonard rolled his eyes. “Thr-“ Sara pulled on his hand and he had a mouthful of snow before he could finish the word. He sat up, spitting and cursing, just in time to see their carriage explode spectacularly a little further down the tracks, the noise rushing to greet them a few seconds later. The flames spiked red and yellow against the night sky, reflecting brightly off the snow.

Leonard let out a deep breath and flopped back into the snow, which enveloped him in a cold hug.

“Knives, fighting… where did you come from?” Leonard said into the silence as they all lay there, stunned. Mick grunted in agreement and he felt Sara shift beside him.

“It’s a long story.” She replied, reluctantly.

One that, Leonard was now convinced, did not include being Dinah Lance. Unless Mick had missed out on the part of her childhood where she trained to be the next Karate Kid, Dinah had been a dancer, not a fighter. Oh well, he mused as he struggled out of the snow bank, they still had time to teach her everything she needed to know. Their two day journey had just got a lot longer.


	4. somewhere down this road

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kind of filler-ish? i hope you enjoy it!! please comment and review :)

Sara had offered no explanation to her fighting skills or the cool demeanour with which she had killed their attacker. After Leonard’s question, she had gathered herself, slung her backpack over her shoulder and began walking. When Leonard pointed out she had no idea where she was going, she had told him she had ‘a feeling’ that it was the way she was going. Leonard had scoffed, but Mick pointed out that they had no idea either, and an inkling was better than nothing.

As the sun had risen and morning had broken, melting some of the snow, they had come across a small town. Still in their damp clothes, they had broken into a little of the money Leonard had stashed to buy fresh clothing and breakfast. Sara had slipped a couple of extra notes from the bundle of cash when it was her turn and bought a leather jacket to slip on and ward out the chill of December.

Leonard and Mick left her at a café as they went to find out what potential transport they could find. An hour later, they came back emptyhanded.

“So we’re walking to Star City then?” She asked over the top of the newspaper she had swiped from a bench.

“No.” Leonard said, coolly. “We’re walking to the bus station.”

Sara raised an eyebrow. “We’re taking the bus to Star City?”

Leonard offered her his hand. “No, we’re taking the bus to the docks. Then we’re getting a boat to Star City. They only reopened the harbour recently, so we’re sneaking in thanks to some of Mick’s old pals who are in control of everything that passes through.”

Sara rolled her head to look at Mick as she took Leonard’s hand and used it to pull herself to her feet. “I take it this isn’t going to be luxury cruise liner?”

Mick chuckled. “Cargo ship.” He shrugged. “We’re getting smuggled on an alcohol charter.”

Sara’s eyes lit up. “This is the best day of my life.”

“No, I believe that was your first dance recital,” Leonard suddenly lifted her hand and twirled her under his arm. Before he could get her all the way, however, Sara pushed back and caught his arm, twisting it behind his back in a harsh grip. He swore loudly, and Sara sprang away, her eyes wide.

“Oh my god.” She clapped her hands to her mouth. “This is hopeless. I’m hopeless.”

Leonard frowned, rubbing his sore arm with his other hand, looking like he was torn between backing away and edging closer to comfort her. “What do you mean?”

Sara shook her head, rounding on Mick. “You told me Dinah was a cute kid who liked dancing and cuddling up to people and I can barely deal with Leonard swinging me round as a joke.” She ran a hand through her hair and began pacing back and forth between the two men who exchanged worried looks. “I can’t be her, right? Not if my instinct is the complete opposite of what hers would have been? This whole thing was such a mistake-“

“Sara.” Leonard cut across calmly, his tone neutral and soothing. “You are Dinah Lance. You’ve obviously been through some sort of trauma and suppressed it all. But that’s what we’re here for. To remind you. To… teach you how to be yourself again.” He took a few steps forwards, holding his hand out so she could stop him if she wanted to. She eyed him warily but didn’t freak out when he rested his hand on her shoulder, the heavy warmth acting as a grounding point for her. Leonard felt a little of the tension seep out of her tight shoulders at the gesture. “We’re willing to help you. We want to help you. But you need to help yourself. You want to be with your family, right?” 

He ignored the twinge of guilt that flared up in the back of his mind; his livelihood and the plan were more important than a sad young woman, no matter how disarming she may be.  
Sara held his gaze steadily for a few moments, letting the cool blue gaze wash over her and calm down the frantic speed of her mind which was going through every possible failure she could cause between now and Star City. She nodded, a little haphazardly, and turned to face Mick.

“I can’t dance, Mick. I don’t like having people that close.” She admitted, revealing her current number one worry. Dinah Lance had apparently been some sort of dance wonder kid, while Sara could barely tap her foot in time. Sure, she was agile and flexible from her training, but that wouldn’t be enough to convince the Lance family that their little prodigy had come home.

Mick fought the urge to raise his eyebrows and point out the fact that Sara was currently perfectly content to let Leonard crowd her personal space at this very second. Instead he waved a hand at her nonchalantly. “Relax. We’ll leave the dancing till the end. You never know, we might even jog your memory so much you remember your love for it all by yourself.”

Sara swallowed heavily, but nodded. “Okay. We’ve got a long journey ahead, so… What’s first?”

-

“Okay, let’s go through it again – your name?”

“Dinah Drake Lance, named after my mom.”

“And she was-“

“A professor of Law at Star City University until she died when I was ten. And my dad is Quentin Lance, captain of SCPD. Oh, and, and my sister – her name is Laurel and she wanted to go to law school. Which she did – right?”

Mick smiled. “Right.” 

“Excuse me for interrupting, but we’re almost at the bus station and you’ve only just managed to memorise your immediate family.” Leonard drawled. “I know it’s a long journey but you might want to be a little bit faster if you want to convince Laurel that you are who you are.” 

Sara raised her eyebrows at him. “Well, excuse me. Have you ever tried memorising your entire life?” She stopped in her tracks as his words dawned on her. “What do you mean ‘convince Laurel’?”

Mick sucked in a harsh breath, eyes bulging comically as he suddenly sped up his pace while trying to look as casual as possible. Leonard sighed and rolled his eyes.

“Mick!” Sara shouted after him. “What did he mean ‘convince Laurel’?” Her tone was darker, less of a question and more of a demand. Leonard pulled a face.

“He didn’t tell you then.” He concluded. He gestured for Sara to continue walking with him as he set off to catch Mick up, who was still strolling away from them quickly. “A lot of girls and young women have gone to Quentin over the years claiming to be Di- claiming to be you. He couldn’t handle his grief being dragged up over and over, so Laurel took on the job instead. No one gets to Quentin without convincing Laurel first and considering she’s a top class lawyer, a lot of people crack under her pressure.”

Sara stared at him. “But… you just said yourself, it took me an hour to learn my parents’ names and jobs…”

Leonard cringed internally. This was why they hadn’t mentioned it so far, but he’d thought Sara might need a bit of a push to learn quicker. Clearly he’d just made her panic instead.

“But you’re sisters!” He lied easily. “Listen, the information is just so you can answer her questions, but she’ll know it’s you. She’ll feel it. Siblings just have that… sense, when it comes to each other.”

Sara regarded him curiously as she calmed down. “Do you have a sibling?” 

“No.” Leonard said quickly. “But I’ve got Mick.” He reached out to the larger man as they finally caught up, clapping him on the shoulder to make him stop. He did, reluctantly, turning so he could flank Sara on the opposite side of Leonard. “And we’re going to do everything to reunite you with your family.”

Sara frowned and ducked her chin. “Why are you doing this? I mean – what do you get out of taking me to Star City?”

A reward of over a million dollars and a clean slate when it comes to my criminal history.

Leonard smiled. “The joy of seeing a broken family reunited.” He replied smoothly. “Now. How about we move onto aunts and uncles?”

-

“Dad didn’t like telling me off, but one time he got super pissed because he was the looking after me while Laurel was at school and Mom was working, but he had to go into the precinct and took me with him and I doodled all over the wall while he was interrogating a suspect!” 

Mick laughed and nodded. “Yes, and I remember it well because once he was done yelling at you, he yelled at me for not keeping an eye on you.”

Sara laughed. The way she repeated back to him the memories he had taught her was incredible; she made them sound like they were truly her own, like she could picture them right before her even though Mick was fairly sure the woman sat across from him had never visited Star City Police Department.

“Oh, oh, when I was ten, Laurel started dating Ollie – Oliver Queen that is – and he used to come over when she had to babysit me.” Sara frowned as she recounted what she’d learnt. Then her face cleared a little and she broke into a smile. “I’m pretty sure Laurel just wanted to make out with him, but he actually spent time with me and he’d be my dance partner if I bugged him enough. He’d let me stand on his feet and we’d waltz around the kitchen.”

Mick frowned. “Yes… That’s right…” As Sara rattled on, he turned to Leonard and muttered under his breath. “We didn’t tell her that.”

Leonard shushed him and Mick watched the enraptured expression on his partner’s face as he listened to Sara reciting everything they’d been through for the last few hours of the bus journey. He eyed them – Leonard was beside him with his elbow propped against the window and his hand cradling his chin as he focused all his attention on Sara, who was chatting with more animation than he’d seen since they’d met her. 

“And one time, Mom found Lau- wait, are we slowing down?” Sara craned round to try see the front of the bus which was indeed slowing down. To the left there was the glittering expanse of water and Sara was almost out of her seat to try get a better look.

Mick glanced across at Leonard and saw him watching Sara with a small smile. He elbowed his partner who ignored him in favour of looking out the window. Floating in the dock as the bus pulled up was a small boat, bobbing along a little violently in the relatively calm water. It was old fashioned, with a little cabin towards the back and a wide deck.

“Meet our home for the next twenty-four hours – The Gambit!” Leonard presented the rickety ship with a flourish.

Sara blinked. “Did I - Dinah - have a fear of drowning?” She asked Mick out of the corner of her mouth.

Mick glanced at her. “You never mentioned it.”

“Huh.” Sara adjusted her backpack and let out a deep breath. “Well, for future reference, it would seem I do.”


	5. figures dancing gracefully

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoy this next update - a little more action filled than the last one :) don't forget to comment!

The Gambit, despite its appearance, was not a bad little ship. There were two cabins, so Leonard and Mick bunked while Sara had one to herself. The beds were dry and clean and across the hall was a large room that stocked all the alcohol the boat was transferring over to Star City. Sara noticed the crate near the door seemed to be a great deal emptier than when they had first got onboard.

The Captain had left them to their own devices on the deck of the ship, bidding them goodnight as the sun began to set over the horizon. Sara was propped up on a spare barrel, with her elbow resting on the side of the ship and her chin propped on her hand as she watched the glittering expanse reflect the pinks and purples cast across the sky.

Across the way, Leonard and Mick were playing poker, although Mick was winning by a great deal. He didn’t mention that his partner seemed distracted, nor that if he paid more attention to his cards and less to the blonde gazing into the distance, he might actually notice Mick slipping aces from his sleeve. 

After a while, Sara got up and made her way over to them, scooping up the pack of cards and dealing herself in. They slipped into a companionable silence between requests for new cards or raising stakes. It was the calmest moment they had shared since starting this crazy quest together.

“I think it’s time.” Mick announced after he’d folded and Sara had won the game.

Sara looked up from watching Leonard shuffle the cards. “Time?” She questioned. 

“You’ve learnt everything. Except how to dance.” Mick pointed out.

Sara shifted uncomfortably, but nodded. Mick reached over and plucked the cards from Leonard’s grasp, setting them on the upended crate they’d been using as a table. His partner glowered, then widened his eyes when he realised what Mick was intending.

“I don’t think so, Mick.” He snarled, but Mick ignored him, crossing over to grab his elbow and pull him to his feet. 

The boat dipped a little and they all paused. The sea was beginning to get a little choppy but the boat found it’s groove again and they relaxed.

Sara got up a little unsteadily. “What? Scared I’ll stand on your toes?” She teased before another sudden dip sent her flying into Leonard. Reflexively, he wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her, as she grabbed onto his jacket to try keep upright.

“If you’re going to dance like that, then yes.” Leonard smirked and she rolled her eyes at him.

Mick snickered, but moved Leonard’s hand so it rested at Sara’s hip instead of the small of her back. He loosened Sara’s grip on Leonard’s jacket and placed her hand delicately at his shoulder, flexing out her fingers so they spread gracefully. He cleared his throat and nudged Leonard’s other elbow so he held his arm out. Taking Sara’s hand, he pressed it to Leonard’s, folding their fingers over each other.

Mick looked up from his work to see Leonard and Sara both staring at where their hands were clasped together. Sara’s expression was soft, almost curious, while Leonard looked tense, his eyes flicking momentarily to Sara’s face before back to where her hand was folded in his. In perfect sync, they both noticed Mick watching their faces – Leonard pointedly looked away with an annoyed expression, while Sara determinedly stared straight forward, which happened to have her looking right at Leonard’s chest.

Mick snorted, putting his finger under her chin and lifting it up gently so her neck was elongated and her face turned up to Leonard. Then he reached up and slapped the back of Leonard’s head to make him do the same. 

Leonard shot Mick an icy glare, then looked down at Sara. The setting sun made her eyelashes cast long shadows down her freckled cheeks, her face lit up in a pale pink hue that set off her eyes as they gazed up at him. He felt unnerved by the brilliant blue of her stare; she was looking at him almost in wonder like she’d never seen anything or anyone like him before. It warmed his stomach, but also made him feel uncomfortable. This was a woman he was conning – no matter that she would hopefully be getting a family out of it even if it wasn’t hers – and he had no place to be feelings this way about her.

Mick backed up a few steps. Without realising it, Sara and Leonard had begun a gentle sway, aided by the slight rocking of the ship.

“Leonard, step forward, Sara, back…” He instructed quietly, trying not to disturb their reverie. He knew they’d both be extremely embarrassed to be caught in this predicament, but the peaceful way in which they were slowly waltzing together, coached by his voice, was too precious a moment for even him to interrupt. He continued to offer pieces of advice and steps, but Sara obviously had some sort of idea of what she was doing that had taken over as she danced more and more confidently while Leonard was a fast learner who kept up and did whatever was required of him almost unconsciously. 

Mick fell silent as they began waltzing without his input. After a few minutes of watching them, he began to feel incredibly like a third wheel. Not wanting to break Leonard and Sara from their spell, he ducked down to the cabin, with one last glance back at the dancing couple outlined against the setting sun.

-  
A green light swirled through the cabin. 

It hovered over Mick Rory and Leonard Snart, one sprawled on the bed and the other tightly curled up on the floor, then passed on.

In the next cabin, it found Sara. In almost a caress, it stroked her face, then flew into her temple, disappearing as her eyes opened.

-

Sara was sat in her room in Nanda Parbat, leaning against the headboard of her golden four poster bed. She idly stroked a hand down the red velvet trimmings of her bedding, before checking under her pillow to make sure her trusty knife was still stashed there. 

“Sara?” Nyssa’s voice filtered through her door. “Beloved?”

Sara crossed to the heavy gilded door and pulled it open. The corridor was empty, only a draft blowing through and making the candles flicker. 

“Sara… Come to me, my beloved…”

She stepped out into the chilly wind, following the sound of Nyssa’s voice through the stone hallways. Her bare feet made a gentle slapping sound on the stone beneath them, her robes rustling as the cold air breezed through them.

She came out into the main hall of the League headquarters. Nyssa was stood by the Lazarus Pit, decked in her traditional League garb and looking as fiercely beautiful as ever. She smiled when she saw Sara emerge.

“Beloved.”

“Nyssa?” Sara walked forward slowly. “What’s wrong?”

Nyssa smiled sweetly. “Nothing, my beloved.” She reached out and gently stroked Sara’s hair, wrapping a loose strand around her fingers. “I just wished to see you.”

Sara took hold of Nyssa’s wrist, holding her hand to her cheek. She closed her eyes and revelled in the touch.

“It’s time to say goodbye.” Nyssa broke the moment and Sara’s eyes snapped open.

“Goodbye? Why?” She asked, confused. Nyssa continued smiling sweetly, bringing her hand back and clicking her fingers.

Guards flooded into the room, rushing at Sara. She managed to overcome her surprise quickly enough to fight back. She shrugged off her robe, bringing a knife out from her sleeve and slashed at the first man to reach her, sending him howling in retreat. She whirled round to punch her next attacker, using the balance to twist and kick another to the side. But the stream of adversaries seemed never ending – someone grabbed her wrist and twisted, forcing her to drop the knife with a shout of pain. Someone else grabbed her other arm, then two restrained her legs when she tried to kick out. She felt herself be lifted as she struggled, begging Nyssa to make them stop.

They raised her over the pit.

“Nyssa! No! Help! Help me, Nyssa, help!”

-

The rolling of the ship had woken Leonard up, but a female voice calling out an unfamiliar name caught his attention soon after. And since there was only one female on the ship…

“Sara?” He called softly, not wanting to wake Mick. He scrambled out of his bedding, tugging on his jacket as he pulled open the door. 

He noticed a figure slip up the stairs to the deck and followed her silently, wondering what on earth she was doing. He hesitated in the doorway of the stairs, not wanting to intrude on Sara’s privacy but then- 

Leonard barrelled across the deck, grabbing a handful of Sara’s shirt so he could pull her away from the side of the boat she had been trying to climb. She thrashed against him, screaming, her fists flying as he scooped her up, trying to avoid being hit as she flailed about. 

“Sara!” He yelled. 

Her eyes shot open as she gasped, falling limp in his arms. The sudden dead weight surprised him and he dropped down, cradling her against his chest as he slumped against the overturned barrel Sara had been sitting on to look at the sunset hours before.

Sara was shaking and crying silently, clutching Leonard’s jacket. After a few moments of clearly panicking, she seemed to realise what was happening and scooted off his lap as quickly as possible.

“Are you okay?” He asked after a moment as she got her breath back.

She nodded, slowly shifting so they were sat next to each other, shoulders touching.

“You were saying a name, when you were…” He trailed off, gesturing to the side of the boat. “Nyssa?”

Sara stiffened. “Yes.”

“Were you two…?”

“We were.” Sara said shortly. “She found me. When I died.”

Leonard blinked. “I’m sorry, I’m going to need you to break that down a little for me.”

Sara shuddered again and Leonard pulled off his jacket and tucked it over her shoulders. She surprised him by accepting it, then huddling in closer to him, curling her cold hands around his bicep.

“When I was a teenager – I don’t know how old – Nyssa and her father found me in Star City, dying in the snow. I’d been stabbed. I died on the journey to their home, Nanda Parbat, but they had an ancient magic that they used to resurrect me.” Leonard couldn’t tell if her shivers were from the cold or reliving the story. “I had no memories of before my death. I only remember coming out of this pool of water, the Lazarus Pit which brought me back, and being named Sara by Nyssa. Anything before then is just…” She shook her head.

Leonard absorbed everything she said slowly. “What’s it like? Dying?”

“Lonely. But not as hard as living.” At Leonard’s frown, she continued. “The Pit didn’t fix me completely. When I was brought back, a bloodlust was born within me that won’t go away unless I kill the person who killed me. And since I don’t know who did that… I wake up every day needing to kill, wanting to kill, scared I’ll snap any minute… that’s not a life.” She looked up at Leonard, seemingly debating something before deciding to tell him. “Nyssa and her father ran the League of Assassins.”

Leonard stared at her. “I thought that was a myth.”

Sara shook her head, droplets of water spraying from the ends of her hair at the movement. “No, they’re very real. They trained me. That’s how I can keep the bloodlust at bay, most of the time. But sometimes…”

Realisation dawned on Leonard. “When you were fighting that man on the train…”

Sara looked down ashamed. “I lost control of it.” She swallowed heavily. “There was a myth that the only way to counter the effects is to become truly happy… That’s why I need to find my family. They’re the only thing I’ve had missing my entire life. They have to be the thing that makes me truly happy.”

Leonard felt like his stomach had dropped out of his body at her confession. He knew that the family he was going to introduce her to wasn’t her real one. Maybe they could make her truly happy though?

“Sometimes I remember things, and I don’t know if it was a dream or really true. Everything before the pit is just darkness then every now and then… a memory just bubbles up to the surface. But I don’t even know if it is a memory!” She tipped her head back. “I had this recurring dream for years when I was a teenager in the League and I have no idea what it means.” Her eyes misted over as she pictured it, staring up at the black sky above them. Leonard watched her carefully, half ready to jump into action if she completely zoned out and something took over her body again.

“What was it?” He prompted quietly after watching her relive the moment in silence.

Sara blinked, tearing up rapidly. “I’m a little girl. There’s a box, decorated with stars. I have a key, so I open it and a little bird comes up and starts singing. A canary.” Her hand went hesitantly to her neck, patting her shirt as though she was looking for something. She turned her head to look at Leonard, and all signs of being lost in the past had disappeared. Her eyes were clear and sharply focused on him. “And the strangest thing is…” She tugged at a chain around her neck and a small key appeared at the neckline of her shirt. 

“The key from your dream.” Leonard supplied, although he didn’t know where he found the voice to. His mind was fixed on the star spangled box tucked away safely in his cabin. Surely, that couldn’t be what Sara was talking about?

Sara nodded and let the key drop back beneath her shirt. Leonard’s heart raced; if this was really Dinah sat before him – and what were the odds of that? – then he really would be reuniting the Lance family. But surely several young girls would have patterned jewellery boxes? And he’d never been able to get the blasted thing open so who knew what was actually inside it? He pushed away the unsettling thought that it could very well be a little musical canary.

Sara was still watching him for a reaction, so he swallowed down his doubts. “Maybe it’s a clue about your past. You can ask Laurel about it tomorrow.”

She looked almost disappointed as she nodded half-heartedly in agreement and Leonard felt his stomach twist a little. It wasn’t lying to not tell her about the box. Besides, it would ruin them if the key Sara had really was just a random one from her real childhood and didn’t open the box in front of the Lances – they’d be chased out of the house and probably arrested too.

Still, after she’d shared so much with him, he felt he had to say something genuine. He had to make himself not feel like the fraud he was turning her into.

“Sara, all that time you spent in the League and the pit… What they did to you there… I’m…” He looked up and caught her gaze. “I’m glad they did it.”

Sara’s lips parted angrily as she registered his words, but he kept speaking before she could launch into a tirade about how the pit had ruined her life.

“I’m glad they did it,” Leonard pressed on. “Because it meant I got to meet you.” His eyes flicked down to her mouth – now softened into a surprised o shape – before back to her eyes. He nodded decisively, then got to his feet. “Don’t stay out too late. You’ll need your sleep before we meet Laurel tomorrow.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets and headed back to the cabin. 

“Leonard?” Sara’s voice piped up behind him. 

He turned back casually. She had stood up and looked antsy, coiled and ready to do something, although what he didn’t know. She stuttered to a standstill when he looked at her though and her face closed off, backing out of whatever she had originally intended to say.

“Goodnight, Leonard.” She offered instead.

Leonard tilted his head to the side and offered her a friendly smirk. “Goodnight. Dinah.”


	6. heart don't fail me now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so it's been a while, huh? i'm super sorry, but hopefully meeting laurel will make up for the months of waiting? and now i'm on christmas break, i will be updating much more often! thanks for sticking around :)

Vandal Savage let out a scream of rage that echoed around his cell, bouncing off the stone walls and ceiling so it reverberated back to his ears. Again and again his plans had failed, again and again the wretched girl walked away with her life intact.

Well, not this time.

With a roar, he slammed his staff down on the ground, shattering the stone floor with an almighty crunch. The crack ran across the floor, splintering up the wall. He stabbed at it with the staff until chunks of rock fell away.

This time, he’d get her himself.

-

The house wasn’t a mansion, but it still stood tall and imposing at the end of the drive. Leonard, Mick and Sara stood at the bottom of the steps leading up to a porch, staring up at the building. Sara was white as they climbed up, stopping outside the front door.

Since they got off the boat that morning, she’d been steadily getting more and more nervous. Her stomach was churning and she had refused breakfast in case she threw up. Leonard had been shooting her worried looks when he thought she wasn’t looking, but they only served to make her heart race with anxiety even more than before.

Mick knocked on the door firmly as Leonard squeezed Sara’s shoulder. The outline of a woman appeared behind the frosted glass panel of the door before it opened a crack. A slim face was home to warm brown eyes that looked out curiously from where they were framed by soft blonde waves. 

“Mick!” The woman’s jaw dropped as her eyes fluttered in surprise. “Hi? When you wrote, I didn’t think… I wasn’t expecting you…”

“Laurel.” Mick cut off. “Is your father in?”

Laurel raised an eyebrow. “Do you think you’d still be stood on our porch if he was?”

“Fair.” Mick shrugged at Sara’s questioning look. “Quentin didn’t exactly love me for smuggling Snart over here out of the city. Technically, makes me a criminal, especially in his eyes.”

Laurel stepped out of the doorway a little, eyes fixed on Sara. “Is this her?”

Sara jerked her head from Mick to Laurel, licking her lips nervously. For some reason, she felt like she should curtsey. “Hi.”

A small frown appeared between Laurel’s eyebrows. “She does… look a bit like D- um…” She cut herself off, casting her eyes down. “Mick, my dad won’t see anyone. He’s tired of all the heartache. So many people have tried to take advantage of the reward he’s offered…”

Leonard stepped forward. “Laurel – if I may call you Laurel? – just give us a chance?” He motioned Sara forward, holding out his hand and she stepped forward hesitantly to take it. “We think we’ve found your sister. Ten minutes of your time and you could have your family back. And if not…” he glanced at Sara who was gazing up at him as he spoke reverently of her. “You’ll have met a truly wonderful, if slightly annoying, woman who might be able to fill a bit of a void.”

Sara’s breath caught slightly and she whipped her line of sight back to Laurel, who was hovering in the doorway watching the interaction with curiosity. She glanced from Sara to Leonard before her gaze settled on Mick.

“Ten minutes.” She said sternly, opening the door wide. “But that’s all.”

-

Nine minutes later, Laurel stood up from the plush armchair she’d been sitting in and brushed down her skirt. “Well, it was nice to meet you. But I’m afraid this isn’t going to work.”

Sara jumped to her feet. “What?” She looked desperately to Mick and Leonard who were also struggling up with matching looks of concern. “But I haven’t- I didn’t say-“

“She answered every question!” Mick input, cutting off Sara’s panicked rambles. “She knew everything you asked!”

Laurel held up a calming hand. “And that’s all very well and good, but anyone could know those answers, Mick. Hell, you could have taught her everything she just said.” She shrugged. “I’m sorry, but I’m not going to hurt my dad like this again if I’m no one hundred percent positive myself.” She stepped back towards the doorway, turning to open the door. “Now, I’m sorry, but your ten minutes is up and I have to respectfully ask you to le-“

“Oliver used to come over on Thursdays because dad worked late and mom would take dinner to him at the precinct and they didn’t approve of him staying after nine.” Sara blurted out. Laurel froze with her hand on the door handle, glancing over her shoulder in surprise. Leonard furrowed his brow, glancing across at Mick who shrugged at him helplessly. “We used to order takeaway – Ollie would always let me pick – and then we’d watch a movie. My favourite was Sleeping Beauty and we’d re-enact the scene where Prince Philip rescues Aurora with Ollie as the prince and you as the princess and me as the dragon and- and Ollie would defeat me by tickling me.” She laughed suddenly. “Then he’d go kiss you where you were ‘sleeping’ on the couch and I’d say you were gross and then you’d both attack me with kisses and then I’d want to dance like Philip and Aurora at the end so Ollie would let me stand on his feet and waltz me round the room…”

She blinked out of the trancelike state she’d been in. “Sorry I – I just remembered…”

“Okay.” Laurel said slowly, turning away from the door and folding her hands. They were shaking. “How did you escape from the police precinct when Vandal Savage attacked?” She said with false calm.

Sara cut her eyes to the floor, concentrating hard as she racked through her brain. “There was… A boy.”

Behind her, Leonard stiffened. 

“He took me to the back of the precinct… Where the- uh, the prisoners loading bay thing?” She frowned, chewing on her bottom lip. “He made me go first. He- he pushed me out the door and… I ran down the alley and then… I blacked out.”

Throughout Sara’s explanation, Laurel had been getting more and more teary, keeping her face stony to try stop herself breaking. She took a deep breath. “Dinah?”  
Sara nodded tearfully. “It’s me, Laurel.”

A smile split Laurel’s face as her tears finally spilled over. A small choked noise of happiness escaped from her as she launched across the room; her outstretched arms tangled with Sara’s as the younger woman reached for her and they fell into each other in a hug of sobs, laughter and an ongoing struggle as to who could hold the other tighter. Laurel tucked Sara’s face into her neck, stroking through her hair as she pressed multiple kisses to her forehead just as she had in the story Sara had recounted.

“Don’t think this means you can be automatically be dad’s favourite again.” Laurel huffed through her tears, rocking Sara from side to side gently. She held her out at arm’s length, wiping away the tears she saw when she they were face to face. “I spent ten years earning that place and it was only made official a few months ago.”

Sara laughed, swiping at the tears Laurel had missed before gripping the other woman’s forearms to keep her close. “It’s fine, that’s totally yours. Promise. You can be the favourite daughter, if I get to be the prodigal one.”

Laurel observed her, nodding with a watery smile. “Deal.” She agreed, then pulled Sara back against her in a tight hug.

-

Leonard slipped out as Sara and Laurel continued catching up. He half smiled to himself as he gently shut the door on Sara’s exclamation of “You married Tommy? Tommy Merlyn? Not Ollie?”. He sat on the top step of the porch and dragged his hand down his face, letting out a heavy sigh. He felt like his whole world had been twisted upside down. Of course, the similarities between Sara and Dinah had already been noticeable, that’s why he and Mick had felt they could pass her off, but after the story she’d just shared.

He heard the door shut behind him, then felt Mick settle on the step next to him, practically vibrating with success.

“Sister down, father to go.” He grunted. “We’re on the homestretch, boss. Laurel is talking about taking Sara to some police ball being hosted by the mayor in order to get her dad to meet her…” He noticed Leonard’s non-existent reaction to the news and nudged him. “Leonard?”

“Mick. Its really her.”

“I know! We convinced Laurel! Quentin will be harder, but I reckon we get to repeat exa-”

“No. Sara is Dinah.” Leonard turned to look at Mick. “She remembered the prisoner transport bay and that a boy took her to it and helped her escape. That was me, Mick, remember? We never told her that. Just like we never told her I was a thief, or that she had a pet canary, or how long it used to take to get to Star City, or every other bit of information she couldn’t have possibly known – some that we didn’t even know!”

Mick leaned back, letting out a low whistle. “You really think Sara is Dinah?”

Leonard put his face in his hands, voice muffled. “I do.”

His partner nodded slowly. “So… It’s a good thing?”

“I don’t know, Mick. I don’t know.”

“But… we reunited their family. Or are about to. And Sara is none-the-wiser that we used her. We get the reward. Everybody wins.” Mick pointed out gruffly.

“I know all that.” Leonard snapped, slapping his hand on the porch beside him. “But… If she really is a cop’s daughter…” He trailed off angrily.

Mick watched him carefully. “Then she can’t be with a criminal.” He finished for him, knowingly.

Leonard scoffed. “It’s not like that.” He protested.

“Sure.” Mick stood up, brushing down his trousers. “I’m going to head inside. But… I wouldn’t give up just yet.”

“It isn’t like that, Mick!” Leonard shouted over his shoulder as Mick pulled the door open.

“Yeah, yeah.” Was all that he heard in return before the door slammed shut.


	7. across my memory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry again for the delay! i hope all the drama here makes up for it... also sorry in advance
> 
> by the way - this story only has three chapters after this one, how crazy is that? thanks for being on the ride with me folks

“Is all this really necessary?” Sara plucked the top dress from the pile Laurel had draped over one arm, holding the slinky cobalt blue number gingerly at arm’s length. She’d spent the last week in the same pair of jeans and a variety of flannel shirts; dressing up felt a little alien to her. As did standing in the middle of a swanky Star City boutique, her muddy military boots sinking inches into the luxurious carpet.

“90s grunge looks great on you, sweetie,” Laurel took the dress back, neatly folding it with the rest. “But a fundraisers requires something a little more-“

“Swanky?”

“Clean.” Laurel smirked. She piled the dresses into Sara’s arms, grabbing her shoulders so she could twirl her towards the changing room. “Now go try them on.”

Sara shot a glare over her shoulder as she stumbled into the dressing room. Laurel perched on a sofa by the doorway, flipping through her phone itinerary as she waited.

“Laurel! This isn’t swanky it’s… skanky.” Sara’s voice filtered through from behind the drawn curtain of the changing room. 

“Dinah! You can’t say that!” Laurel whipped her head round to check no one had heard, then stood up. “Come on then, let me see.” She coaxed.

“Uh… no.” Sara hesitantly curled a hand round the curtain, moving it back just so her face could appear in the gap she’d made. “It’s really bad.”

Her sister raised a wry eyebrow at her. “Even better. I can make fun of it.” She sassed. “Come on. Get out of there.”

Sara’s face took on a panicked look. “Laurel, no.”

Laurel dusted off her old favourite expression – the ‘I’m your big sister and you’ll do what I say’ one. It felt good to stretch the old muscles again. “If you don’t come out, I’m coming in.” She warned, getting hold of the curtain as Sara’s eyes widened. 

“No, Laurel, please-“

“Come on, it can’t be that bad!” Laurel protested, finally losing patience and ripping the curtain open. She stepped through and quickly tugged it back in place before turning to appraise her sister. “See, it’s not that…” She trailed off.

Sara avoided her gaze, fixing her eyeline pointedly on the rail of the curtain. Her arms were wrapped protectively around her middle, hugging herself. The dress was a deep green and the satiny material clung to every curve; a deep V ran down the front, exposing the pale skin of Sara’s chest and the myriad of pinkish scars crisscrossing over it. 

“Dinah.” Laurel said quietly. 

“Don’t.” 

“But-“

“Don’t.” Sara’s voice rose.

Laurel furrowed her brow, then reached out and pulled Sara into her arms. Sara stiffened at the sudden intrusion of her personal space. She’d expected disgust at the state of her body, physical memories of her time with the League. Laurel was perfect, an untouched specimen of what a young woman should be, while Sara was the human equivalent of old boots, scarred and torn, used by someone else for too long and beyond repair. After a moment, she forced herself to relax, her arms slowly creeping up to loop around her sister’s waist. Laurel squeezed tightly for a moment, then released her, taking a step back to give her a once over.

“You’re right. That dress is skanky. Dad would have a heart attack if he saw you in this colour.” She said after a moment. “So would someone else, but probably for a very different reason.”

Sara frowned. “Huh?” She fidgeted with the zipper of the dress, relieved when Laurel motioned her to turn so she could pull it down for her. 

“I’m just saying, there’s two versions of the ‘too much skin’ induced heart attack.” Laurel continued, matter-of-factly. She moved over to where Sara had dumped the dresses, sorting through the pile as Sara slipped the green dress from her shoulders, clutching the scrap of fabric against her chest to keep a little modesty.

“Right…?” Girl talk was fairly foreign to Sara at this point. Although she had been close to Nyssa, their conversation rarely went to dresses and make up. Their relationship was intense, if they weren’t desperately in love, they were arguing, and their conversations generally followed suit. Is this what sisters did? If it was, she felt like she could probably get used to it.

“Yeah. There’s the ‘my baby girl is showing way too much skin I must get her away from the seedy minds of men before one of them steals her from me’ heart attack – Dad’s one, obviously.” Laurel plucked a blue gown from the pile and scrutinised it. “And then there’s ‘the girl I obviously have a thing for is showing way too much skin and I probably won’t be able to keep my hands off her for another second’ heart attack.”

Sara spluttered on her laugh. “And who is supposed to be having that heart attack?”

Laurel smiled wryly. “Try this one on.” She flung the dress at Sara, then slipped back out of the changing room. “I get the feeling Leonard likes blue.” She added under her breath.

-

Leonard fidgeted with his bowtie, sliding his finger between his collar and the skin it was pinching. He wrinkled his nose as he gazed around the room, lit with chandeliers that cast a warm flickering light across the dancefloor where a multitude of people in elegant gowns mingled. A low hum of chatter, intercepted with the gentle clinks of glasses meeting, filled the room as people politely greeted each other and caught up on the latest gossip. 

“Leave your neck alone.” Mick grunted.

“I hate wearing shirts.” Leonard tore his fingers away, wrapping both hands around his champagne to distract himself. 

“You’ve literally never worn one.”

“Well, I have now and I can confidently say I hate it.”

“Is it the shirt or are you just nervous?” Mick countered.

“Nervous?” Leonard drawled, eyebrows hitching. “About what?”

“Meeting Quentin. Convincing him about Sara.” Mick spoke slowly, as though he was deliberately having to explain something obvious to a small child.

Leonard rolled his eyes. “We’re only convincing him of the truth.” He pointed out.

“And when he asks how his daughter escaped?” Mick queried.

“She’ll tell the story from her point of view. No need to know that I was involved.” He replied shortly, taking a sip of his champagne.

“Why don’t you want her to know?” Mick asked curiously. He had seen the growing affection between Leonard and Sara, watched from afar (and up close, though not by choice) as they softened around each other despite both being predominantly made up of hard edges. In his mind, Sara knowing Leonard was the reason she was alive today would only rank him further in her opinion.

“No reason.” Leonard snapped.

“You have to tell Sara-“

“Tell me what?”

Both men jumped as though they had been stung, whipping round to see Sara watching them carefully. A small smile danced on her face at their shocked expressions, but Leonard barely noticed as he took her in. After a couple of days of good food, a proper bed and hot showers courtesy of Laurel’s gracious hosting, she looked healthier than he had ever seen. The natural gauntness of her face had filled out with a rosy glow, her eyes less haunted and full of mirth. Laurel had obviously cornered her younger sister with a hairbrush, as the blonde mess as neatly swept up with a few tendrils gracing her shoulders. The dress was indeed the one Laurel had correctly guessed would meet Leonard’s taste for blue; it modestly curved in at Sara’s waist before falling to the floor, the high neckline and three quarter length sleeves hiding her scars but coyly hinting at the curves they concealed.

“How… beautiful you look.” Leonard said smoothly. And technically, it wasn’t a lie. 

Sara raised an eyebrow at him. “Thanks.”

Leonard nodded clinically. “No problem.”

She eyed him and Mick suspiciously, but with amusement, for a moment then jerked her thumb over her shoulder. “I’m going to go find Laurel.”

“See you.”

Shaking her head in bemusement at their sudden silence, she turned to head into the throng of people in search of her sister, but caught her shoulder against someone.

“I’m sorry-“

“Dinah Lance, as I live and breathe.” 

Sara glanced up, still unused to the name, and found herself looking at Oliver Queen. The years had treated him well, that awful flop of hair cut to a much more suitable length and the beginnings of laughter lines tracing the corners of his mouth and eyes. 

“Ollie!” Sara smiled, unsure how to react. During one of her catchup sessions with Laurel, she had been informed that her sister hadn’t dated him for years, but they were firm friends. He seemed to go in for a hug, but her personal space barrier was still up, so she awkwardly patted him on the arm instead. She felt comfortable hugging Laurel, her height allowing her to tuck her head on her sister’s shoulder and dancing with Leonard on the ship stopped her from freezing up anytime his hand brushed against her, but that was as far as her limits had been tested.

Oliver didn’t seem to mind, his face breaking out into a warm smile. “It’s amazing to see you again, Dinah.” He told her genuinely. 

“You too, Ollie.” Sara smiled back at him. Trickles of memory had been leaking back into her mind all week, ever since Leonard and Mick had first told her who she really was. Oliver had been a big part of her life, as far she could remember, and it really was good to see a familiar face while she searched for Laurel’s.

“Want to dance? Like when you were little and you’d stand on my feet?” Oliver asked, a teasing tone infiltrating his voice. She appreciated that he was trying to keep the reunion light; meeting her father later was sure to be taxing.

Sara raised the hem of her dress, flashing black stiletto heels. “I think my shoes might do you some damage now.” 

“Yeah, my wife probably needs me to be able to use them since I’m designated driver for the evening.”

Sara brightened. “You got married?” 

“Yeah, she should be around- over there by the chocolate fountain, I should’ve guessed.” Oliver chuckled. “Blonde, glasses, pink dress-“

“Nice ass.” Sara concluded, then blinked as she realised her error.

“What?” Oliver looked at her strangely.

“What?” Sara shrugged, deciding to just run with her mistake. It was true - she could appreciate the woman’s lithe physique from across the room. “Sorry I missed your wedding. Felicity seems really cute. I suppose I should get you like a fruit bowl or something right?”

“I don’t think Felicity would get much use of that. Thanks for the offer, though.” Oliver carefully patted her on the arm. She appreciated his caution, the slowness of the action giving her enough time to come to terms and allow it to happen. He always had been very considerate towards her. 

As she smiled up at him, movement caught her eye, directing it over his shoulder. She noticed Mick and Leonard helping themselves to another glass of champagne; Mick was holding up a hors d’oeuvre that looked comically tiny in his hand. His face was wrinkled as he examined it curiously, holding it up to the light then giving it an experimental sniff. He tossed it in his mouth, then grimaced, immediately groping around for a napkin to spit it out into. Leonard rolled his eyes, catching Sara’s gaze as he did. He jerked his head to his partner, who was frantically wiping his tongue with a silk napkin, then offered her an exasperated look. Sara couldn’t hold back a smile as she shrugged helplessly at him.

“Still waiting to hear about that dance?” Oliver prompted, not noticing her attention had gone elsewhere.

Sara looked at him in surprise, then smiled bashfully. “Sorry. You’re not the partner I’m looking for. Thanks though, Ollie.”

He raised an eyebrow at her cryptic response, but nodded with a smile before wandering off to his wife. 

“Hey!” Laurel appeared beside her suddenly, carefully placing a hand on Sara’s elbow to steer her around the room. “You okay? Not freaking out?”

“So far, no freak outs.” Sara assured her, although her palms had started to prickle with sweat when she noticed that it was getting later. Her father still hadn’t shown up and she was starting to worry he would never arrive; that she would never get the chance to prove herself to him until the next event that he came out of his reclusive status and would be able to be ambushed by Laurel about her. 

“Okay, well dad just called and said he’s on his way. There was traffic by his place so it took him longer than expected.” Laurel waved at a passing guest, tipping her glass to another while speaking out of the corner of her mouth to Sara. “Still good?”

“Uh, slightly less, but coping.” Sara swallowed. “What if he doesn’t believe me?” She asked quietly, making Laurel stop her socialising and turn to look at her properly. “Or worse… What if he doesn’t like me?” She finally voiced the fear that had been nagging her since she left Central City.

“Oh, Dinah.” Laurel tucked a few stray strands of hair out of Sara’s face maternally, her eyes going soft. “We thought we’d never see you again. Having you here, whatever you think of yourself, is a gift to us. Okay?” Her smile got a little watery as she stroked her little sister’s cheek. “Not only will he like you, he’ll love you. I love you. You’re still that little thirteen year old brat to me and you will be to him.” She let out a disbelieving sigh. “When Mick wrote to me and said they’d found you, I just couldn’t believe it… But three months later, here you are!” Laurel beamed with pride.

Sara froze. “Wait… three months? Mick wrote three months ago to say he found me?”

“Yes.” Laurel paused. “Is that not when they met you? They said the journey would take a while, that’s why there was such a delay.”

“Um.” Sara shook herself out of it. “Yeah, no of course. It just… seems like less.” She forced a smile on her face.

Laurel frowned at her concerned, but was distracted when a rumble ran through the crowd.

“I think that’s dad.” She announced, although Sara barely heard her. “I’ll go talk to him, okay? You want to wait here?”

“Actually, I think I’m going to go outside for a minute. Get some fresh air. Think about what I’m going to say to him…” Sara swallowed, offering a pathetic excuse for a smile. 

Laurel seemed to understand, squeezing Sara’s shoulder. “I’ll come find you when he’s ready.”

They parted ways, Laurel determinedly striding up to her father. “Daddy!” She cried, throwing her arms around him.

Quentin Lance squeezed his daughter tightly, an old habit that had begun the day they had lost Sara. He often held Laurel like she would disappear any second. She pulled back to look at her father; still the same, greying stubble on his jaw, tired eyes that lit up at the sight of his eldest. 

“Laurel.” His voice was gruff but warm. 

“Daddy.” She began carefully, hope pressed down in her voice. “There’s someone I want you to meet. When you’re ready of course, but she’s here-“

“No.” 

Laurel paused. “Daddy, I know-“

“Laurel.” He said firmly, quietly so no one would hear. “No. I won’t meet another one of those wannabes who are just after our money.”

Laurel clung to his arm, desperate. “No, but it’s really her. She- we- I know it is. Please, you have to meet her. It’s Dinah. I swear, daddy, it’s really her!”

Quentin closed his eyes to get a hold of his emotions, although the grief swimming in them was still evident when they opened. “Laurel, I’m sorry. She might have fooled you, but I can’t get my hopes up again. No more, sweetheart.” He squeezed her hand then pried it off his arm, leaving her to go greet an old friend.

Laurel blew upwards, fluttering her hair around her face in frustration. Well, that didn’t go as planned.

-

Leonard found Sara stood outside at the top of the stairs that led to the hall’s entrance. The night was cold, making her breath swirl in whirls of steam which framed her profile against the lawn’s floodlights. He paused in the doorway, watching her silently for a moment. Even though it had been a quick think to disguise the true nature of his conversation with Mick, she really did look beautiful. 

“Hey.” He smirked at her. “You look like you fit in perfectly.” It was true; and that lifted his heart and made it sink all in one. He was happy to find that she had almost picked up where she left off, slotting into the life that should have always been hers with hardly an issue. At the same time, he knew it meant that he would have to leave her here.

“Do I though?” She asked coldly.

Leonard recoiled. “Of course. This is your home.”

“Is it, Leonard?” Sara whirled around, fury in her eyes. “When did we meet?”

Leonard looked lost. “A week ago? Six days? I don’t…”

“Then how come Mick wrote to Laurel three months ago saying he and his partner had found her long lost sister?”

Leonard’s blood ran cold. “Sara…”

“No!” Sara practically screamed at him, eyes welling up with frustrated tears. “How could you have known you were going to find me over two and a half months before we met?”

He swallowed hard, unsure of how to dig himself out of this situation. Should he come clean, tell her it had been an act but by a happy miracle she’d made the whole thing honest? Or explain that they’d been looking for her back then, told Laurel in advance to make sure they could get an audience before they began this charade?

“Am I even her?” Sara asked darkly.

“Yes.” He finally found his voice. “Yes, you are Dinah.”

“How can you know? Why should I believe you, even if you really think that? You used me! You made me think I’m this- this person, you made me lie to Laurel, to the most wonderful, caring woman! You messed with my head so… so what? So you could get the reward money?” Her eyes flared with betrayal. “Does money mean so much more to you than ruining a whole group of people’s lives?”

“No, Sara, listen, Sara!” Leonard rushed forward, grasping hold of Sara’s flailing hands. “Okay, at the start we- we didn’t actually know if you were Dinah.” He shook his head at her pointed noise of frustration. “But now – no, Sara, Sara, listen to me – it’s you. It’s been you all along. I can’t believe how lucky we were to actually find you, but you are Dinah. I know because… trust me. Please. Just trust me.”

Sara stared at him in silence for a moment. “I don’t.” She said, barely more than a whisper. “I don’t trust you, Leonard.” She pressed her lips together. “Leave me and my family – if they even are my family - alone.”

She turned on her heel, but Leonard lunged forward and grabbed her wrist, pulling her back towards him.

Sara saw red. 

Using the momentum of his tug, she whirled round, her free hand ready and curled into a fist. She hit straight up the jaw, knocking him back and causing him to let go of her wrist in surprise. The punch floored him, sending him reeling on his back at the top of the stairs. Sara stood over him, breathing heavily from adrenaline and anger.

“I said – leave. Me. Alone.” She spat, then disappeared back into the hall.

Leonard let his head drop back onto the marble floor with a sigh. Well, that didn’t go as planned either.


End file.
